Knitting machine



May 31, 1932. E. A. FEUSTEL 1,861,413

' KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 14. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR o -Ykmmld 8 A TTORNEYS.

y 1 1932- E. A. FEUSTEL l;861,413

KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1951 2 Shem-sheet 2 INVENTOR-i A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT toFrlce ERNEST A. FEUS'IEL, OI OARIQSTADT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO H OFMANN, I

INCORPORATED, 01 WEST NEW YORK,

JERSEY Application filed Apr-11,14,

This inventionrelates to knitting machines, and 'has reference more particularly to the improvement of certain portions of themech-- anism and operation of straight knitting machines such as are used for the manufacture of full fashioned knitted hosiery. The improvement is shown, for purposes of illustration, applied to a knittin machine of the Cotton type, that is to say a nitting machine which employs banks of united needles operated in conjunction with a series of sinkers and a series of dividers, and means for actuating these in cooperation, including a series of jacks swingable in succession to operate the sinkers; a number of makes of machines of this type being in extensive commercial use.

The general object of the present invention is to improve the operation of the series of jacks and their actuation of the sinkers. As

the sinkers control the formationof the successive courses of loops a highl accurate operation is desirable to prevent efects in hosiery, such as stripes, uneven fabric and the like, due to irregularity of action of the sinkers. In a machine of the kind referred to the jacks are swingable in succession to operate the sinkers, and it is customaryto mount the jacks inde endently and more or less loosely upon a ed axle or rod upon which they may independently swing when thrown forwardly by the slurcock or cam member to thrust the sinkers forwardly and form the loops; this loose fit being due to a construction including a semi-circular bearing contact that permits individual extraction and re lacement of jacks without removing the ax e from the bed. Owing to the loose fit of the jacks upon their axle, and the sudden rapidity with which they are put into motion by the slurcock it has been found that there is a tendency of the jacks to lift or become dis laced slightl with relation to their axle. is action is t e cause not merely of wear and reduced life of the jacks, but also or irregular knitting action, introducing differences in movements of the sinkers, which, although minute, 've a noticeable effect in the completed pro. uct, and sometimes 5 result in undesirable stripes and other defects NEW JERS Y, a CORPORATION or NEW xm'r'rme MACHINE 1931. Serial No. 529,982.

' tion and relation of the jacks and their axle so as to obviate the looseness, the wear and the rregular action referred to, while et retaining the adaptability of the mec anism to quick removal and replacement of work or defective jacks, or the interchange of an entire series of jacks for others.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present improvement will be pointed out in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be apparent to those skilled in the subject. To the attainment of such objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel knitting machine and the novel fea:

'tures of combination, cooperation and con struction herein illustrated or described.

In the aocompanyin drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of t e near end of a series of jacks and surrounding parts seen obliquely from the rear and above. I Fi 2 is a face view of one of the jacks detac ed, and showing its relation to the sinker and jack spring.

Fig. 3 is a perspectlve View of a portion of the length of the jack axle.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the normal relation between each of the jacks and the jack axle, and in dotted lines the jack position when oscillated forwardly to actuate a sinker.

'Fi 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4:, but showing t e axle rotated around to release position, and in dotted lines showing in a general way the mode and direction of extraction or disengagement of the jack from the axle.

Figs. 6 and 7 are views corresponding with Figs. i and 5 of a modified embodiment.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views corres onding to Figs. 4 and 5 of a further embo iment.

ome of the general parts of the apparatus,-

which may be of an known form or type, include the jack bed comprising a bottom piece 10 and end pieces 11 assembled and held rigidly together by bolts. The jaek bed end pieces are of characteristic shape, and in part they aline substantially with a series of guide walls 12 constituting a socalled comb or multiple guide for the jacks, these uide walls bein held in position by grooves ormed in the ottom piece 10 and correspondin grooves formed in an upper bar 13 attache to the upper rear side of the end piece and in a rear bar 14 also secured to the end pieces, the bars 13 and 14 cooperating Bvzih the bottom 10 to rigidify the entire jack The jack axle 15 is in the nature of a cylindrical rod extending the length of the jack bed and taking its support in the end pieces 11 and the guide Walls 12. The eneral plan of this invention is to give to t e axle a jacks a construction and relation by which a superior bearing is aiforded for the constant oscillations of the jacks holding them precise- 1y to their swinging movement, while, when t e machine is out of operation the axle may be shifted, as manually, to effect a release of the jacks to permit any one or more to be extracted and replaced. Various kinds of shift movements of the axle may be used for the purpose, but a rotary shift is preferred, as will be explained.

As shown in the separate figures the jack axle is of special construction, being cut away or milled with a recess 16 at one side. The intact part of the circumference substantially exceeds a half circle, which is interrupted by the recess, which recessmeets the circumference at an upper point or apex 17 and a lower ppint or apex 18, the purpose of which will subsequently explained.

The series of jacks 20 may be generally of the usual ty e having a nose 21 adapted to push forward stantially concentric surface 22 is shown, usual in such jacks, adapted to cooperate with a stop bar or hold down, to be referred to. The jack tail 23 is adapted to cooperate with a jack spring 24.

Each jack is formed with an aperture 25, which is intended to engage the jack axle or rod 15, but which differs from the usual U- shape jack aperture, havin no more than a semi-circular bearing, in t at it is circular in shape for substantially more than a semicircumference, but with an open gap at the outer side of suflicient actual width for lateral disengagement from the axle, as will be described. Where the gap interrupts the circumference of the aperture 25 are formed upper and lower points or apexes 26 and 27.

The axle 15 is adapted to be rotated in its bearing between its normal position wherein all of the jacks are confined but independently swingable upon the axle, and its release position wherein any jack may be independently disengaged from or engaged with the axle. For the purpose of such rotary adustment of the axle its outer end is shown extended beyond the ,endwall 11 to where it has applied to it a handle 30, the hub of which 1s made fast to the axle. A latch dely against the sinker 19. A subbar was essential in jack mechanisms as previously constructed, but may be dispensed with in the present invention, afi'ordin the additional advantage that removal an replacement of such bar is no longer necessary to permit the extraction and displacement of one or more jacks. Due to the circular engagement ofjack aperture and axle circum-' ference for considerably more than a semicircumference, preferably between 190 and 270, the jacks are normally looked upon the axle throughout their swinging operation, which both avoids detachment and affords a very effective and smooth bearing, positively preventing looseness, irregular movement and wear, and insuring a more evenly knitted fabric.

Various accompanying and surrounding pieces of mechanism and devices are omitted as being well understood to those skilled in the subject, although the sinkers 19 are indicated; and the drawings indicate the jack spring 24, one of which is provided for each jack, the spring having a grooved hump cooperating with the tail 22 of the jack in each of its two positions, so as to hold the jack yieldin ly in either position.

The awings indicate also the slurcock or jack actuator 37 which is moved longitudinally for the formation of each course of loops, and operates successively on the jacks to cam them forwardly and give successive operation of the sinkers as each course of yarn is fed to the needles, in well known manner.

The operation of the invention has been largely indicated. Normally the jack axle is set as seen in Fig. 4. The jacks are confined. and locked upon the axle, giving a smooth oscillation. Preferably the ]8.Ck aperture is of greater circumferential extent than the axle recess, as seen in Fig. 4, so that the jack may swin without its bearing surface overhanging 516 axle recess, the apexes 26 and 27 moving always upon the bearing surface of the axle. The full and dotted limes indicate the extreme positions. When the jacks are swung forward to the dotted posi-. tion they always take the same motion and give the same action to the sinkers as desired.

When one or more jacks are to be replaced the axle ma be rotated to the release position as in i 5. Any jack may then be pulled' out by and. The motion may commencewith a swing so that the apex 27 at the lower side of the ack aperture gap enters the axle recess. This allows the top apex 26 to clear the axle; as the dotted position shows, and the jack readily comes out. The axle might be rotated to advantage during the extraction. The replacement of a new jack is milled out as a simple apexes 26 and 27* substantially the same as in Figs. 4; and 5. The mode of detachment will be substantially the same as in Figs. 4 and 5, inasmuch as the jack can pivot about the lower axle apex 18, its apex 27 swinging or rolling into the recess-16 as its upper apex 2.6 swings out to clear the top of the" axle.

With this embodimentless metal has to be,

removed from the axle than in the first embodiment.

In the embodiment of Figs. 8 and- 9 .a simpler form is shown, as the axle is merely flattened, the cutaway-recess 16 being therefore wholly exterior to the chord connecting the apexes 17 and 18 The jack aperture has upper and' lower apexes 26 and 27" which are necessarily spaced somewhat further apart than in the other embodiments. By a geometrical diagram it can readily be-shown that if a cylinder is flat tened'at one side to a depth of 20%,of its diameter, the resulting chord will be of the same length as the abrid ed diameter, namely'80% of the original aperture to the same extent, with preferably .a slight margin of clearance, the jack can be readily sli from the axle when the flattened side of the latter is swung around to release position parallel to the direction of extracting movement.-

Having described a knitting machine embodying the present invention it is pointed out that theprinciples thereof may be variously embodied and that the claims are not in ended to be limited'to details of structure or' arrangement except to the extent set forth therein. I

What is claimedis: 1. A straight hosiery knitting machine having a series of independent jacks swingable' in succession, a jack bed, and a jack supporting axle carried by the bed; each of the jacks being formed with an aperture to engage and fit the axle, such aperture being circular for substantially more than a semiiameter. With the axle reduced in this manner and the jack circumference but with an open ga of sufiicient width for disengagement om the axle, and-the axle being circular to fit the jack aperture for substantially more than a semicircumference but formed with a recess suificient to permit the jack to be disengaged therefrom, the jack aperture gap and the axle recess being normall side of the axis so t at the intact bearing surfaces of the jack aperture and axle are in "substantially uninterrupted bearing contact, and the axle being shiftable from its normal position wherein all of the jacks are confined but swingable thereon to its release position wherein any jack may-be independently disengaged from or engaged with the axle.

2. A knitting machine as in claim 1 and wherein the jack aperture gap is of sufficiently greater circumferential extent than the axle recess that the normal swinging located at the same movement will not cause the apexes of the jack bearing surface to overhang the axle recess.

3. A straight hosiery knitting) machine having a series of independent jacks swingablein succession, a jack bed, and 'a jack supporting axle carried by the bed; each of the jacks being formed with an aperture to engage andfit the axle, such aperture being circular for substantially more than a semicircumference but with an open ap for disengagement from the axle, and t e axle being circular to fit the jack recess for substantially more than a semicircumference but formedwith a concave or reentrant recess to permit the jack to be disengaged therefrom, and the axle being shiftable between normal position wherein all of the jacks are confined but swingable thereon and release posit-ion wherein any jack may be independently disengaged from or engaged with the axle.

4. A knitting machine as in claim 3 and wherein the jack aperture circumference isv intact for substantially more than 254 and the axle recess deep enough to receive the jack aperture apexes during the extracting movement. I v

5. In a hosiery knitting machine of the straight type having a senes of independent jacks swin able in Succession, the combination with t e series of jacks, of a jack bed, and a jack supporting axle carried by the bed; each of the jacks being formed with an aperture to engage and-fit the axle, such aperture being circular for substantially more than 254 of circumference but withi an 0 en. gap of less than 106, but suflicient for isengagement from the axle, and the axle being circular to fit the jack recess for substantially more thana semicircumference but formed of-crescent shaped section with apex of the jack aperture and permit the -.a reentrant recess sufiicient -to admit the jack to be d isenga d therefrom, and the axle being shlftableitween normal position wherein all of the jacks are confined but swingable thereon and a release position 5 wherein any jack may be independently disen aged from or engaged with the axlo n testimony whereof, this specification has been duly si ed by:

- E NEST A. FEUSTEL. 

